Starvation as Policy: The architecture of famine in Gaza

New research by the investigative group Forensic Architecture (FA) has revealed that the Israeli military has deliberately pursued a strategy of starvation, pushing Gaza toward famine.

The report details how the regime weaponizes humanitarian aid: forcing Palestinians to travel long distances to distribution centers under Israeli military control in southern Gaza — while shooting at the very civilians seeking aid.

Researchers have documented attacks on civilians, the destruction of infrastructure such as food warehouses, and looting.

Civilian aid vs. Militarized aid

The Zionist regime dismantled Gaza’s long-standing civilian aid distribution system and replaced it with a militarized one designed to advance its military and political goals by controlling and starving the population.

Until early 2025, aid reached Gaza through UNRWA and other international NGOs in line with humanitarian principles. But in January, Israel banned UNRWA’s operations and by March had completely halted aid deliveries.

For nearly three months, no aid was allowed in. When the regime finally eased the blockade under international pressure in late May, the permitted quantities were far below the minimum required.

The civilian aid network was then replaced by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — backed by the US and Israel — which began distributing limited rations through military-controlled centers, creating dependence on a system observers say is inherently lethal.

400 aid sites replaced with 4 military centers

While the previous UN-run distribution system operated about 400 aid points across Gaza, GHF — guarded by armed private security contractors — opened only four centers for Gaza’s population of nearly 2 million.

The UN and aid groups warn that GHF has turned aid into a weapon, concentrating distribution in the south to force people out of northern Gaza, effectively advancing Israel’s plan to depopulate the area.

The GHF system provides only minimal dry rations, forcing Palestinians to walk long distances into military-controlled zones.

Three centers are located between Rafah and Khan Younis, and the fourth near the Netzarim corridor — all in officially designated active war zones.

These centers open only briefly, often for just a few minutes, without prior notice. Entry is slow and heavily controlled, with civilians funneled through narrow fenced corridors.

The centers provide food only — no water, shelter, hygiene, or medical care. Rations are extremely limited, mostly dry goods, generally lacking fresh produce, protein sources like meat, fruit, or vegetables, and basics such as water, cooking oil, or other essentials needed for a proper meal.

Crucially, visiting these centers exposes civilians to deadly risks. Reports indicate that Israeli forces and contractors have repeatedly used live ammunition to control crowds, killing hundreds of Palestinians. With soldiers untrained in crowd management, lethal force has become routine. Even during ceasefires, civilians near these areas have been targeted — meaning the militarized GHF system continues to endanger lives while tearing apart Gaza’s social fabric.

Killing the hungry

Israel’s new aid distribution system has resulted in what Human Rights Watch describes as a “systematic bloodbath.”

According to Forensic Architecture, GHF distribution almost daily leads to mass casualty incidents at or near its four centers.

Since May 27, more than 1,300 people have been killed while attempting to collect aid at GHF sites. In July alone, 729 Palestinians were killed.

Rationing starvation

Since 2007, when Hamas took control of Gaza, Israel has severely restricted all goods entering the Strip — reducing food to the bare minimum calories for survival and cutting electricity to levels barely sufficient to sustain life. In 2018, the UN warned that Gaza risked becoming uninhabitable due to worsening conditions.

The earlier civilian system relied on international humanitarian groups and local authorities to distribute aid through hundreds of centers and kitchens. Since October 7, 2023, this system has been systematically destroyed, including the devastation of Gaza’s farmlands.

Futility of airdrops

Following international criticism of Israel’s starvation tactics, aid airdrops were attempted as an alternative.

However, these deliveries were negligible compared to truck convoys. Packages often landed in inaccessible areas, forcing civilians to risk injuries, such as climbing walls, to retrieve them. In restricted zones — covering about 90% of Gaza — airdrops are particularly dangerous, while in crowded areas, they have caused injuries.

The weaponization of aid

Forensic Architecture concludes that Israel’s weaponization of aid has produced three main outcomes:

1.     The forced displacement of Palestinians through food distribution centers,

2.     The lethalization of aid access, and

3.     The disruption of Gaza’s social fabric.